Bramhope Newsletter Spring 2021
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BRAMHOPE & CARLTON VILLAGE NEWSLETTER SPRING 2021 Photograph by Richard Wilkinson A warm welcome to the new residents of Spring Wood Park. Moving house at any time can be stressful but I'm sure it has had additional complications during lockdown. Hopefully you are now settling into your new homes and, as the restrictions begin to ease towards the summer, you will soon enjoy becoming part of the vibrant community in Bramhope. In welcoming the new residents, I was reminded just how fortunate we are in Bramhope and Carlton. There is so much to enjoy here. Not only do we have easy access to country walks and the Yorkshire Dales, but there are so many activities within the village, many of which you will read about in this Newsletter. Under normal circumstances, Bramhope Village Hall is a hub of activities, ranging from groups for young mums and toddlers to the more sedate art classes and bridge clubs. For the more active there are tennis, bowls and table tennis, not to forget the West Park Rugby Club. The Recreation ground hosts football and cricket matches as well as providing plenty of room for play and dog walking. For younger children there is The Knoll playground. The Women's Institute group known as the Bramhope Rolling Scones meets regularly and during the winter months a Film Club is run at the Methodist Church. St Giles' Church also hosts varied activities. We have a wonderful selection of local shops and businesses, all of which have provided a vital service during lockdown. You will read in the Newsletter of the work undertaken by Bramhope in Bloom who always keep the village looking at its best, and of the tireless efforts of Dementia Friendly Bramhope who have done their best to ensure that those with dementia and their carers have been contacted during lockdown. I know that whether you are a newcomer to the village or long established, you will be made most welcome if you decide to join any of the groups when they reopen. In the meantime, enjoy the Spring flowers as you explore the village. There is so much for all of us to look forward to. Hilary Harris Chair Bramhope & Carlton Parish Council BRAMHOPE & CARLTON VILLAGE NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2021 PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS IN 2021. At present meetings are held by Zoom under legislation introduced last year that enabled councils to meet remotely rather than in person as required by the 1972 Local Government Act. Agendas are posted in advance, and the public have been able to observe and participate in meetings. It has worked well. It appears that the Government does not intend to renew this legislation beyond 7th May 2021 which poses many challenges for the conduct of business. The Annual Meeting of the Council (the election of Chair and Vice-Chair, Committees and review of policies) will therefore be brought forward to Wednesday 5th May so that it can be held via Zoom. (The public will, of course, be welcome to attend as with all meetings of the Parish Council and its committees). We will then have to hold meetings in person in a safe and socially distanced way that also meets Covid regulations. THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING – POSTPONED The agenda for the 2020 Annual Parish Meeting, scheduled for 20 May, included reports on Parish Council finances, activities in the last year and future plans. It was intended to be the initial forum for consultation with residents on projects funded by CIL money. Because of Covid the meeting was postponed, and the changing regulations and restrictions never allowed it to be held. Currently we are legally bound to hold a meeting before 1st June, yet such a meeting would potentially breach Covid regulations, and residents are unlikely to attend. The Parish Council therefore intends to hold a short meeting on May 5th prior to the Annual Meeting of the Council to approve the 2019 minutes and agree to hold an open parish forum later in the year that would have a similar agenda to the usual Annual Parish Meeting. CLIMATE CHANGE EMERGENCY The Parish Council has joined many other Parish and Town Councils in adopting a formal position on Climate Change. The Parish Council passed a motion at the meeting on 24th March that: Bramhope and Carlton Parish Council recognises that there is a climate emergency. From the date of the adoption of this statement, it is formal council policy to endeavour to take action to mitigate against the climate emergency, within its powers and limitations as a Parish Council. These actions will be consistent with the climate emergency policies and initiatives of Leeds City Council. Climate and the environment will be considered in all council decisions. The statement is supported by 24 actions in the areas of: Decision Making, Finance, Buildings and Planning, Transport, Energy, Waste, Land Use, Campaigning, and Influencing Others. Some actions, such as increased tree planting, were already council policy before this statement. A local Climate Action Group would be a valuable support for these actions, but to be effective needs to be community led. If residents wish to establish a group, the Parish Council would support such an initiative by methods such as the Community Grant scheme. PARISH COUNCIL BRIEFING • The Precept is unchanged for the year 2021/22. The Precept appears as an additional item on your Council Tax bill and is the main source of funding for the Parish Council. • A Community Infrastructure Levy Grant has been awarded to Think Like a Pony. The grant will fund a picnic area at Think Like a Pony’s planned horsemanship centre in Bramhope as well as improving the footpath for local walkers. The picnic area will be open to all. • Our Parish Clerk, Nicola Woodward, has qualified for the Certificate for Local Council Administration (CILCA) after a period of intensive study and assignments. Many congratulations. We have already seen benefits from her work in improvements to our policies and procedures. A Parish Council with a CILCA qualified clerk potentially has a wider range of powers of expenditure. www.bramhopecarlton.-pc.gov.uk facebook.com/bramhopecarlton Follow us @BramhopeCarlton 2 Clerk to the Council – Nicola Woodward – 07530 900934 or email [email protected] BRAMHOPE & CARLTON VILLAGE NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2021 PLANNING MATTERS Millers Spring Wood Park Drainage. Leeds City Council's Flood Risk Management Team will monitor the drainage of the site. The issues concerning the silting of the watercourse downstream from the site appear to have been resolved. Even after heavy rainfall the water ran clear and there were no issues of flooding from the downstream watercourses. Field to the south of Spring Wood. Due to the overall reduction of housing numbers in the Leeds area a modification to the Site Allocation Plan proposes that this field remains in the Green Belt. The Parish Council have informed LCC that they support this proposal. An examination in public with a planning inspector will be held later in the year. Landscaping As part of the restoration work agreed with the Parish Council, LCC have planted thousands of replacement daffodil bulbs in the grass verges by the A660, which are now showing signs of growth. Two rowan trees have been planted in Jubilee Copse to replace the trees removed to accommodate the new Poplars (Otley bound) bus shelter. Miller Homes have already planted some trees adjacent to the new housing but the overall master landscaping plan and the detailed plot landscape proposals for the site still have to be approved by LCC’s Landscaping Team. As yet no plans have been published for the landscaping of the A660 roundabout. The Parish Council has made suggestions and recommendations for landscaping and will monitor the work. New Parish Council Noticeboard Due to the number of underground utility cables and pipes on the eastern side of the A660 the new board will now be located on the western side of the road in the vicinity of The Poplars pedestrian crossing. Site of Rosemont, Breary Lane Further plans have been submitted for the site as it is proposed that the building will provide nine apartments rather than eight as was originally envisaged. The site is adjacent to the Bramhope Conservation Area on three sides with the Grade II listed Methodist Church by the western boundary. The Parish Council has asked that the boundary planting of trees, shrubs and hedging should be significant in size and maturity to mitigate the negative impact of the car park which will be located at the front of the building. The developers have also proposed solar panels on the south facing section of the roof. This would result in a lowering of the pitch of the roof. Councillor Diane Fox Leeds/Bradford Airport (LBA) Leeds City Council have approved the planning application by LBA for a new terminal building that will be carbon neutral. The application is subject to a long list of conditions, some of which are still being negotiated. The extension of daytime operating hours to 06.00-23.30 has been agreed with a suite of mitigation measures including both day and night time noise contours, a quota cap in the night time, a noise insulation scheme and annual monitoring requirements. The Parish Council made a number of comments on the application, some of which (e.g. landscaping, public transport) are reflected in the conditions. The Parish Council will continue to press for conditions that mitigate the impact on our neighbourhood. The application will be reviewed by the Secretary of State because most of the development is in the Green Belt Park & Ride Station Progress continues to be made by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), aiming for the opening of the station at the south end of the Bramhope Tunnel in a timeframe of 2023/24.